Ragtime
by May 16 writer
Summary: Takes place around early 20th century in New York where there is new kind of music and three groups: New Rochelle, Harlem, and Immigrants. All different yet alike and among them are two people who live different lives but are meant for each other.
1. Chapter 1

Somewhere in America, there was a little girl called Marinette, a fair child wearing a short sleeved red dress, an apron, and a scarf in her dark hair. She was looking for work to earn money. She and her family had been traveling on a rag ship from France to America hoping for a new life. Though France was a beautiful country where they lived there was a terrible famine. Her father being a baker needed wheat and flour for their products but both were declining. So her parents saved up all their money to catch the first ship to America. But when they arrived they found it very difficult to find suitable work.

Her father Tom tried to get hired by the nearest baker but he was turned away because they feared he was dirty and diseased. So he got a low paying job at a a soup kitchen while her mother Sabine worked in a shirt factory. They were so poor that they lived in a shack, wearing the same clothes everyday, washing them again and again in a well, they also used the well's water for bathing. Their dinners consisted of bread crust and tasteless broth. The couple worked hard everyday but they made very little money so little that they couldn't even send Marinette to school. So everyday when they left for work they would live at her home. But Marinette wanted to help so she wondered the streets looking for work.

"Well we don't usually accept child labor." Said Ms. Medeleiev, a cranky woman who hired, fired, and managed the help. "But I suppose every wealthy household needs a maid but you are to do exactly what you're told and do it well. One complaint from any of my clients and I'll throw you back on the streets, is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Now Mr. Bourgeois wants his floor scrubbed and polished by night fall, can you do that?"

"I'll try."

From that moment on, Marinette spent every day working on her hands and knees, saving her money. But she only made two coins because she had to give most of her money to Ms. Mendeleiev. Despite the hardships she and her family faced, she never lost hope of someday living a better life. To Ms. Mendeleiev and the people she cleaned for she was just a dirty servant girl but to her mother and father she was a princess and that was good enough for her.

Not too far from where she was on a hilltop there lived Adrien Agreste. His father Gabriel owned the local shirt factory here so that made his family filthy rich. The little boy never worked a day in his life and his mother Estelle spoiled him but he was no where near selfish or bratty. Everyday Gabriel would go to work to manage the factory while he was gone Estelle would sit in the garden wearing her pastel blue dress and bonnet watching the flowers bloom or reading a good book, Adrien would just go to school in his usual black jacket and cap then come home to play outside. They had a servant named Natalie who did all the cooking and cleaning, she also tended to Adrien when his mother was away shopping.

"Mother can I please go with you into the city?" He asked his mother one day.

"Well I don't know. The city is can be a very dangerous place, with so many people I might lose you." Estelle was very protective of her son especially since her husband was always busy meaning there wasn't a man around the house that much.

"But I'm bored. Please."

"Well...Alright but stay close to me, understand? And no running off."

"Alright."

Adrien tried to stay close but being a curious child he couldn't help but want to look around. He waited til his mother was too distracted with purchasing the groceries and then quietly wandered off.

"I won't go too far." He thought.

The town was awfully busy today, there were lots of merchants, fishermen, and other people trying to sell goods for a living.

"Excuse me sir, would you like a quilt? It was hand stitched by me and my daughter." Adrien walked over toward a woman (Sabine) trying to sell a lovely quilt to a man but she had no luck. "Please sir! I need the money."

"Sorry lady." The man said walking away.

"How much for the quilt?" Adrien asked her. He pulled a couple of coins from his pocket. "I'll buy it."

"That's very sweet of you young man but I can't take your money. Save it for something much more special." Sabine then noticed he was alone. "My goodness where are your mother and father? You shouldn't be out here alone."

"Adrien!" Called the worried voice of Estelle. "Adrien! Where are you?! Where's my boy?!"

"Over here ma'am!" Sabine called.

"Oh Adrien! Thank God!" Estelle ran over to them and hugged the boy. "You scared me half to death! I told not to run off!"

"Mother I'm fine."

"Oh my poor baby! If I ever lost you! Did you hurt yourself? Did somebody hurt you?"

"I'm alright Mother."

"He's just fine ma'am." Sabine said.

"Thank you for watching him. I'm terribly sorry for making such a scene it's just that...well I-"

"I understand. I have a little girl who I adore and when I found out she was wondering the streets for work I was terrified."

"A child looking for work? Shouldn't she be in school?"

"She would if we could afford it. My husband and I are completely against her working as a maid but she insisted she wanted to help so my husband takes her to work and then brings her home."

"Oh...I see I'm very sorry."

"It's alright."

"That's a very beautiful quilt."

"Thank you my daughter and I made it."

"Is it for sale?"

"Yes."

"I'll take it."

"Really? Oh thank you, thank you so much."

Estelle handed her the money and took the quilt. Then she and her son decided to go home. Normally if Adrien ever ran off like today she would've scolded her son the whole way back to their house but instead she spent the whole trip thinking about how sad it must be for a little girl to work everyday.


	2. Chapter 2

"Adrien I told you specifically not to run off." Estelle said. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry Mother I just wanted to explore." The boy said.

"I know dear but the world is a dangerous place, do you have any idea what would happen if I ever lost you. If I ever lost you I know I would die of grief."

"Don't be sad Mother I won't wander off anymore."

"Good. Now go get cleaned up, we're going over to the Bourgeois residence for tea."

"Oh no Mother! That's so boring!"

"Sorry dear but your father and Mr. Bourgeois have business to discuss."

"So why do we have to come?"

"For support."

The three of them went to Andre Bourgeois's house, tea and petite fours were served for them, Gabriel and Andre talked about their businesses while Fatine and Estelle talked about shopping and society. Adrien was bored out of his mind talking with Andre and Fatine's daughter Chloe.

"And this dress came all the way from Paris." She boasted.

"Uh-huh." He said not amused.

"Are you even listening?"

"I'm sorry Chloe but can we do something other than look at your stuff? Let's read or play outside. I have a new kite we can fly."

"I hate the outdoors."

"Excuse me Chloe but I think I need to freshen up."

"It's down the hall."

Adrien didn't really have to go he just wanted to get out of there. He decided to do a little exploring around the Bourgeois mansion, he had never seen any room other than the tea room and Chloe's bedroom though it didn't look that much different from his mansion back home. Then he saw a door open to a stairway leading down into the basement. Curious, he went to explore.

In the basement Marinette sighed as she swept the dirty floors and cleaned out the fireplace. She coughed when the dust from the floors and the ashes from the fireplace filled the room. She hated her work and she missed her home back in France. She missed the sunshine, the fields of flowers, and the river. She decided to do what she always did when she missed France, she sang.

" _Je t'aime, je t'aime toujour_  
 _I am forever yours_

 _Sweet dreams, sweet dreams mon cher_  
 _You're always in my prayer_

 _Softly, sweetly_  
 _Wrapped up in heaven's arms_  
 _Sailing, soaring over the moon_  
 _Gathering star dust_

 _Be still, be safe, be sure_  
 _Je t'aime, je t'aime toujour."_

Adrien heard sweet singing coming from downstairs. He hurried further down wanting to hear who owned such a lovely voice.

" _Wishing, praying_  
 _All of your dreams come true_  
 _Please remember_  
 _Where'er you are my heart is with you_

 _Sweet dreams, sweet dreams mon cher_  
 _Always in my prayer_

 _I am forever yours_  
 _Je t'aime, je t'aime toujour"_

Marinette's great grandmother used to be a famous opera singer and she taught that song to Marinette's grandmother, who taught it to her mother who then taught it to Marinette. She always sang that song when she missed France.

"A like your song."

Marinette gasped and dropped her broom then spun around to see Adrien just a few steps away from her. She quickly started to run away.

"No wait! Please come back." Adrien said chasing after her. She hid in the broom closet. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, please come out."

Marinette didn't know what to do, she was very shy around other people especially children.

"You don't have to be afraid of me." Adrien said. "I'm not scary at all unless I wanna be." When the closet door still didn't open he decided to try a different approach. "You know you have the most beautiful voice. I wish I could sing as good as you but I sound like a squawking crow."

Adrien heard a giggle come from inside the closet.

"Glad I could make you laugh. Why don't you come out so I can see your smile?"

Marinette opened the door then shyly walked out of the closet. Her eyes filled with skepticism and curiousity.

How pretty, Adrien thought. "You have beautiful eyes."

Marinette blushed, no one here aside from her parents had ever spoken so kindly to her.

"Adrien!" Estelle called. "Are you down here?"

Marinette went back into the closet when the man and woman came downstairs.

"Adrien there you are." Gabriel said.

"What are you doing down here darling?" Estelle asked. "It's cold and dirty."

"Father, Mother, there's a little girl in there." Adrien said pointing to the closet.

"Now Adrien don't you lie to me." Gabriel said.

"But it's true."

"Adrien liars get punished severely."

"Dear he's probably playing pretend." Estelle said. "You know he has quite the imagination."

"But she's in there." Adrien protested. "You should've seen her, she had big blue eyes and a pretty voice."

"I'm sure she did." Estelle said playing along.

They went back upstairs, once they were gone she came out and smiled.

...

Downtown in Harlem there lived two kids named Nino and Alya.

"Do you honestly think you're going to be a famous piano player?" Alya asked her friend.

"I don't think it. I know it."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"My father was one of the best pianists in all of Harlem and someday I'm gonna be just like him."

"Yeah well how are your running skills?"

"Pretty good."

"Wanna test that theory? Race you back home! Ready! Set! Go!" She took off running.

"Hey! I wasn't ready!" He said chasing after her. "That's cheating you know!"

"I don't care!"

They were halfway there when Mr. Bourgeois's automobile almost hit them, he quickly pulled over.

"Watch where you're going you little rats!" He shouted.

"Rats?! Hey look here buddy we're people!" Alya shouted. "So you're either just blind or stupid!"

"Excuse me?! Who do you think you're talking to?!"

"Don't do anything stupid Alya." Nino said.

"I'll teach you some respect!"

"Mr. Bourgeois no!" A burly dark skinned man quickly grabbed the two kids. "Please forgive my daughter sir she's only a child. She doesn't understand how things work around here."

Andre glared at them then went back to his car.

"Alya how many times have I told you to stay out of trouble?" Her father scolded.

"He called us rats."

"I know but sometimes you just need to ignore people. I'm just grateful he didn't run you and Nino over. You two really need to stop running in the street. Come on let's not keep your mother waiting."


	3. Chapter 3

Nathalie took ill next day so Estelle hired a replacement maid until she was feeling better.

"Have a good day at school Adrien!" She said waving goodbye to her son. Once she was alone she went upstairs to get ready to go shopping. "I do wonder when that maid will get here. It's three hours."

She heard the doorbell ring.

"Ah there she is." She went downstairs to answer it. "Thank goodness you've- huh?" She didn't see anyone, thinking it was her imagination she closed the door.

"Wait!" A voice called. She opened the door again. "Down here Ma'am."

She was expecting it to be a little old lady but to her surprise it was a little girl. Marinette all dressed in rags.

"Oh! Well hello little one. Where did you come from?"

"France."

Estelle giggled.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm your replacement maid."

"You? But you're a child. No older than my son."

"I know but I am."

"I don't know if I like this. Maybe you should go home."

"No! Please! I need the money please! Please!" She begged.

"Well...Alright."

Estelle watched as Marinette did every single one of Nathalie's chores: scrubbing the floors, polishing the sliver, waxing the table, and washing and mending all the clothes. Each one done without complaint. Estelle decided to do the cooking for today, she was surprised that people now a days had children doing adult work. Did her parents make her do this? Seemed cruel to her. By the time Marinette had done everything instructed it was tea time.

"I'm finished Ma'am." She said. "May I get paid please?"

"Yes of course, I'll get my purse. Would you like some tea and cake while you wait?"

"Yes Ma'am."

Estelle poured her a cup of tea and laid out a tray of a little sugar cakes for her then went upstairs to her room to get some money. While she was gone Marinette ate a few cakes but no more than what she needed. It had been so long since she had cake, it felt so good to eat some again. The taste reminded her of the pastries her father used to make back in France. She had eaten about two when she saw a little china doll wearing a dress and bonnet which was perched on a nearby shelf. She had seen dolls like that in many toy shops but they were much too expensive for her parents to afford. Curious she picked it up and cradled it.

"Here we go." Estelle said coming in. Marinette quickly put it back where she found it. "What were you doing with that?"

"I wasn't stealing it! I just wanted to look at it! I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright, do you like it?"

She nodded.

"It was my doll when I was a girl and when I grew up I had hoped I would give it to my daughter but I only had one son." She took the doll off the shelf. "You can have it if you want it."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Marinette nervously took it from her and held it close.

"Thank you."

Estelle then paid her a suitable amount money with a little extra in case it wasn't enough. Marinette thanked her for her the money and the doll and hurried home.

"Poor thing." Estelle thought. "That child must come from the a terrible family to have to work."

Well that was kind of true, she did come from a terrible family, terribly poor family. Estelle you see was ignorant of how poor some families were, it wasn't her fault because most of the time Gabriel had her at home or a wealthy merchant shops where hardly any poor people were around.

...

Adrien's escort was running late so after school he would have to sit and wait. But after a few hours he got bored and decided to a little exploring. Now he knew he wasn't supposed to wander off but his curious behavior got the better of him. As he looked around the city he wasn't that amused, it was all stuff he had seen before when he went shopping with his mother or on family outings with his parents. Then he had an idea, he had never been to Harlem before. For as long he could remember his father had forbidden him from going any where near Harlem but the boy couldn't resist. So he went to downtown Harlem. He was rather surprised by how different by how different it looked from New Rochelle. The buildings, the people, the colors, it was so different. Then he heard strange new music, music he had never heard before.

It was coming from an abandoned club. Wanting to know who was the musician was he went inside. Following the music he entered what appeared to be a room where customers would sit and drink and listen to musicians because there were tables, chairs, and a stage. And on that stage was a piano which was being played by a boy no older than he was.

"Hello." He said.

The boy quickly stopped playing.

"Hi." He said nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see where the music was coming from. You're very good."

"Really?"

"Yep. What kind of music is it?"

"It's called Ragtime."

"Wish we had music like that back home."

The boy studied Adrien carefully, his clothes were clean and fancy with no a single wrinkle.

"You're from New Rochelle aren't you?'

"Yes."

"So why are you talking to me?"

"Because I want to."

"Don't you know what I am?"

"You're a boy like me."

"Yeah but I'm a little different."

"Well duh everyone's different."

"You don't really know how things work around here do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"Well I'm Adrien Agreste."

"Nino Lahiffe."

"Nice place, do you live here?"

"No but I hang around here. It used to be a club until it was closed down for health code violations. One day I'm gonna fix up this place, re open it, and preform as one of the best pianists ever."

"Cool."

"Listen I gotta go see ya around."

"Okay bye."

Adrien left the closed down building and started heading home unaware that he was being followed by two other boys. One was a lot bigger and older looking than him the other was shorter than the other and thinner. They were both dirty and wore ragged clothing.

"Hello." He said. "Can I help you?"

"What are you doing on this side of town?" The bigger one asked.

"Well I just wanted to explore something new."

"Well we don't like people like you around here."

"People like me?"

"Huh! Must be nice staying up in that big house and wearing those fancy clothes. But then again they look pretty girly to me. "

"Kim is this really necessary?" The other boy asked.

"Oh hush up Max I'm just having fun with him."

"Have I done something wrong?" Adrien asked.

"Yeah you came over to the wrong side of town. We don't like little rich boys coming around here in their girly clothes. If you even are a boy, are you a little boy or a little girl?"

"I'm a boy."

"Really."

Kim then shoved Adrien into a mud puddle staining his clothes.

"Ruined your nice clothes. Whatcha gonna do about it? Huh? If you're a boy, prove it. Fight me."

"But my mom says you shouldn't fight."

The two boys laughed at him.

"I'll let you off the hook this time runt but if you come around here again you're gonna get it. Come on Max."

The two boys then walked away leaving Adrien feeling very confused.


End file.
